On a spaceship.
"So why wasn't I allowed to go on this mission?" Firefly's gaze was dark as she stared at the black cat in front of her, her nails unconsciously scratching the table, producing a grating sound that set one's teeth on edge.
"Don't think I don't know. You let Kafka take leave with that ridiculous excuse, so why can't I go to the Xianzhou? Huh?"
The black cat yawned, pulling out a pen and lazily writing on a piece of paper: You'd cause trouble if you went.
Firefly's eyes narrowed as she leaned closer to the cat. "What kind of trouble?"
The cat continued writing: Can you accept Stelle's 'Destruction Ending'?—
Firefly: "…That's not what the script says, is it?"
The cat: It involves the principles of the script. I don't want to explain. In short, she needs to grow and can't just remain a mascot.
The cat: Anyway, the Stelle you know will be fine. Stop bothering me, I'm going to sleep.
…
Thud—
Under the utterly infuriating teamwork of the four, Phantylia finally buckled under one of Pom-Pom's crashes. Her waist, which had held firm for less than an hour, finally gave out.
The body Phantylia had forged from the Ambrosial Arbor was covered in spiderweb-like cracks, ultimately shattering completely, revealing her true form—a turquoise heliobus flame.
"The battle is decided, Phantylia. Your schemes on the Luofu are well and truly over," Jing Yuan said, slowly descending from the air, casually dismissing the Divine Lord. A heliobus without a physical body was like a beast without claws, its threat to the group greatly diminished.
"…Hmph, 'schemes'? How hurtful. My carefully woven dream for the Luofu hasn't even unfolded, yet you deny it. Truly shortsighted," Phantylia retorted.
"I've heard all about your so-called dream," Jing Yuan said, his eyes narrowing. "It's nothing but a hellish paradise woven from human desires. How dare you speak of it with such righteous conviction?"
"Heh, how would you know without trying?" Phantylia sneered. "But do you really think a single insignificant battle can stop me?"
"I admit, you outnumber me, and I'm no match. But you should know, I'm not like Phaethon, a mere physical destroyer. I have no interest in combat."
"What I excel at is weaving dreams with a Stellaron, dragging entire worlds into a beautiful dream, watching them sink into spiritual destruction."
Stelle: This script feels so familiar…
Phantylia's intangible gaze swept over the group, finally settling on Stelle—or more precisely, on the small Stellaron she held in her arms.
"I anticipated being defeated by you all," Phantylia said with a cold laugh. "But some people keep their word, delivering a 'Stellaron' right to me. All my preparations weren't in vain…"
A sense of unease surged in Jing Yuan's heart. "What are you planning?"
Whoosh—
Phantylia didn't answer. In the next second, turquoise flames erupted without warning on the small Stellaron's body, engulfing her in an instant!
"Phantylia, what are you doing?!"
Though she knew the heliobus flame carried no heat, Stelle distinctly felt an intense burning sensation from the small Stellaron, faintly resonating with the power in her chest, forcing her to let go.
"Since you've rejected my beautiful dream, then come experience the nightmare I've woven for you."
"Especially you, the one 'entrusted' by Destiny."
Phantylia's mocking voice fell, and in the next second, Stelle's vision went black, and she lost consciousness entirely.
…
"Stelle, Stelle?"
Stelle woke groggily to a concerned voice, her eyes meeting March 7th's worried gaze.
"Huh? What's going on? Where's Phantylia?"
Stelle looked around in confusion. They were still inside the Ambrosial Arbor's sealed space, and nothing seemed to have changed.
"Just now, Phantylia tried to use the Stellaron's power for a last-ditch counterattack, but thankfully, Mr. Jing Yuan stopped it," March 7th explained patiently.
"Phantylia's been completely defeated. It's over, Stelle."
Stelle's mind felt muddled. "It's over? That's good, that's good. I just want to go back and sleep."
"Hmph, sleep? I haven't settled the score with you yet. Tonight, you're staying up to chat with me. If I don't sleep, you don't either!"
"…Just chatting? That's fine by me!"
Dan Heng: "Mm, I need to rest and regroup too. After this journey, it's time I adjust my mindset. At the very least, I won't run away anymore."
Jing Yuan stretched lazily. "Well said. I'll leave the rest to Qingque to handle. I'm heading home… Oh no, how did the clothes Little Guinaifen rented for me get a hole? Phantylia! The Hunt's vengeance will come!"
Bailu: "Old Jing, Old Jing, you still owe me 800 credits, hehe."
"Then let's get going…" Stelle glanced to the side unintentionally, and her words caught in her throat as her mind snapped awake with fear.
Behind the group, Phantylia in her third phase was grinning at her, showing no signs of being defeated!
"Phantylia?!"
Stelle instinctively drew her baseball bat, aiming it at Phantylia. "Everyone, be careful!"
"Huh?"
The group froze, then followed Stelle's gaze, looking puzzled. "Stelle, what's wrong with you?"
Stelle, as if facing a great enemy, shouted desperately, "Can't you see her? Phantylia's right behind you! She's… she's back!"
The group looked around, their confusion deepening. "Stelle? What are you talking about?"
"Are you under too much stress? Are you hallucinating?"
March 7th gently touched Stelle's forehead with her small hand. "Hmm… your temperature's normal. Stelle, if you're too tired, I can carry you back."
They… they can't see her?
Stelle was stunned. But Phantylia behind them was so real—could this be a hallucination only she was experiencing?
"Heh."
At that moment, Phantylia laughed. She extended a hand, as if swatting an insect, and brought it down toward Stelle—
Boom!
A gust of wind and warm blood hit Stelle's face, leaving her completely frozen.
Phantylia's massive hand hadn't aimed for her. In fact, it had deliberately avoided her. But March 7th, right in front of Stelle, had been…
It wasn't a hallucination.
It wasn't a hallucination!
It wasn't a hallucination!!
"Stelle! March! What's happening?!"
Himeko was the first to notice, especially when she saw a massive handprint crater appear out of nowhere. Always protective of her companions, she nearly ground her teeth to dust in rage.
But what she didn't know was that this time, Phantylia's hand was aimed at her.
In those few seconds, anger, sorrow, and confusion overwhelmed Stelle's mind. When Phantylia raised her hand again, Stelle didn't react at all.
Because she missed the critical moment to warn the others, by the time she opened her mouth, the syllables not yet formed, Himeko was struck by Phantylia's palm.
"Welt…"
Boom!
"Bailu!"
Boom!
"Old Jing!"
Boom!
"Yan…"
Boom!
In mere seconds, Stelle watched helplessly as her companions vanished one by one before her eyes. She collapsed powerlessly to the ground, experiencing the true meaning of "utterly lost" for the first time.
What should she do now? What could she do? Should she be angry or grieve? Fight desperately with her bat or flee?
Without her companions by her side, Stelle felt, for the first time, that everything she did was so utterly futile.